Wastin' Away on the North Coast
 

Monday, June 5 2006

Party at the Start of the Tour

    Schmoe makes margaritas for the first time.  Mike plays an old out-of-tune guitar.  We intended to celebrate the first night of the 2006 tour by drinking Twisted Teas, making margaritas, keeping an eye on the Pistons game, and recording a podcast.  We accomplished all of those ... except the podcast.

    Granted, it’s no Tiki Bar TV, but we still had fun making it.
    ...And we even got our first review on iTunes that night too!  Too bad it was only one star.  (Speaking of which, not that a certain “Twinkles” would care, a slightly longer version of the above [with synched audio] is available in our podcast feed.)
    P.S.: video remastered on July 8 to a more appropriate aspect ratio.

Saturday, June 3 2006

Episode 3: Post-Game, Pre-Tour

Show Notes:
Recorded Wednesday, May 31 2006, (9:30 -11 PM) at Big Al’s in Gibraltar MI
    “Start time was delayed by the Pistons/Heat Game 5.  Mike, Mickey, and Joe are joined by Greg; and we got cameos from Don, Meredith, Greg 2.0, and BK Kevin.  We sound tired and worn-out by the game, but hopefully the bonus three endings might make up for it.”

    A more low-key show this week, seeing as everyone was worn down from the rain plus we waited till the Pistons game was over before starting.  Shots were purchased in honor of birthday boy Mike.  Our choices were Hot Damn or Hot Sex.  When queried, Meredith replied with the immortal “Damn is hot and Sex is sweet” which unfortunately was not recorded.  Greg 2.0 and Kevin’s intro was obviously recorded early (and was in regard to a personal pizza), as was our discussion on TV finales.  Surprise guest Don hung around till the start of the show and Rgeular Greg lasted almost halfway through.
    As you already know, Jimmy Buffett’s selections for the Today show appearance were “Margaritaville”. “Changes”, and the up-tempo version of “Floridays”.  Regarding Jimmy’s movie cameos, TV Week.com puts it succinctly: “Jimmy played the role of the armless guy in the 1994 film Cobb.”  And “Jimmy played the role of the 727 Pilot in the 1995 film Congo.”  (Of course, he has other connections to Hollywood, but these are the ones discussed in this episode.)  Mickey is confused about Buffett’s heckler character being “quadriplegic”.  Yes, all four limbs are affected, but only two are immobile.  If memory serves, the character sat in a wheelchair and had hooks for hands.  We’re still not sure when Buffett’s cameo occurs, but we’re not that eager to rewatch the movie to find out.  Mickey’s comment about Congo can also refer to character actor and Michigan native Bruce Campbell, who also beat a timely retreat from the movie.

Re: the Hoot auction.
    Again with the Hoot auction.
    Mike sent out an e-mail Wednesday morning:

According to BuffettNews, the Buffett worn wardrobe from Hoot is up for bid now.  Current winning bid is $293.  The sale ends 6/5/06.
Mick, wasn’t this up before and there were no bids?

    Coincidentally, Tuesday morning Mickey received an e-mail of four new Hoot auctions (because he subscribes to the New Line Auctions newsletter ever since trying to buy props from Lord of the Rings [NERD!]); but these four new auctions do not include the Buffett one.  Buffettnews’s link works, of course, and it shows a full-bodied red-blooded auction for Buffett Hoot wardrobe—in complete disregard to the auction link New Line sent out in its first Hoot newsletter, which is the one Mickey described back in episode 1 (and 2, and 3, and 4, and 5, etc).
    Mickey’s favorite Hoot link still shows an auction that ended with only one $25 bid.  A closer, closer inspection shows the auction was closed after one day, suggesting it was published in error.  The auction Buffettnews links to is obviously the correct auction and is the one you should bid on, except for the fact it’s probably over and done with by the time you read this.
    Note: the Buffett auction has ended, with a winning bid of $902.00.
    Can we move on now?

      >  Download Episode 3

Saturday, May 27 2006

Episode 2: Low Battery

Show Notes:
Recorded Wednesday, May 24 2006, (9:30-11 PM) at Big Al’s in Gibraltar MI
    “Guests stars: Scott, Greg, Greg 2.0, and Patti.  Despite the tape trouble we still manage to talk too long about Buckeye Lake, Buffett parties of yesteryear, and, once again, Alpine Valley.”

    The audio editing was finished Thursday morning, but not soon enough to upload it before the work shifts started.  Thus these notes are actually posted in advance of the podcast itself.
    It’s official, our emcee is now Greg 2.0, who begins every show by ridiculing us.  Not only are the core three speaking tonight, but we have two guest stars: Sublymonal Greg and Alpine Valley Patti.  It was a marathon session, but a large chunk of it was lost due to battery problems.  Only the first five minutes of the podcast survive from the first tape; the remainder of the cast comes from the forty minutes recorded on the second tape.  (And that constant squeaking noise is a ceiling fan.)
    What was missed: Schmoe is still obsessed with a Nicolette Larson concert CD, sled dogs, and confusing “T” with “P”.  And boy was that cat story hilarious!  [By the way, as Scott could tell you, if he cared enough to record something, the version of “Margaritaville” from the Nicolette Larson tribute is not available separately in iTunes.]  Plus, Mickey did extensive research on concert tickets.  Unlike usual, he verified the research before announcing it on the cast, in an attempt to not be so prominently corrected in these show notes; but since it did not recorded, it ends up in the show notes anyway.
    DTE Music Theatre had a two page ad in Sunday’s Free Press (2F-3F) which finally announced tickets for Jimmy Buffett’s September 12 concert go on sale June 19.

The Palacenet website states lawn tickets cost $36.50 and pavilion seats are a whopping one hundred dollars more!  This makes it the most expensive concert in DTE’s summer line-up.  In comparison, Bruce Springsteen is only $92.50; Ozzfest is 86.50; Counting Crows/Goo Goo Dolls are $67.50; John Fogerty/Willie Nelson are $59.50.  The second most expensive show at Pine Knob?  $128.50 for Crosby Stills Nash & Young.
    Not only is Buffett’s $136.50 the most expensive show at Pine Knob, the Pine Knob show is almost the most expensive stop of this first leg of Buffett’s summer tour.  All the other shows are $126.50, but for some reason Jimmy has to add ten bucks when crossing the Ohio border.  Maybe this surcharge is the reason he hasn’t performed here for a few years.  The most expensive stop is New York’s Jones Beach, where the top ticket price is $156.00.  (By comparison Crosby Stills Nash & Young’s top price is an incredible $251!  And this isn’t just some high-priced New York thing, since the John Fogerty/Willie Nelson show is the same $59.50, and the Counting Crows/Goo Goo Dolls show is actually cheaper: $49.50.)  Remember, these aren’t packages or broker prices; these are face value.
    A quick look at Ticketmaster reveals pavilion seats are still available for Alpine Valley.  Mickey was able to reserve three seats, together, in row U of section 201; but, oddly, Mike and Patti were not interested    During Mike’s Bocephus story Schmoe and Mickey are look at a sheet with “the year on the back”.  The sheet is a print-out of a ticket for a 1975 Portland (OR) show.  The King Kong Trio was a mini-tour in the mid-80s of Jimmy, Mike Utley, and Robert Greenidge.  Mickey’s “cartography classes” jest is another Arrested Development reference.  Take it from us, it was much funnier on TV.  We advertently reported Greg’s leg was amputated following Episode 0.5.  This was printed in error.  The movie music comes from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory—but you already knew that.  And the robot’s name is Ralph.
    Jimmy will be on the Today show Friday morning.  Mike and Schmoe will be Cedar Point-bound and will miss it.  At his last appearance, Jimmy asked Katie to request what song he would play; conventional wisdom says she’ll point at the middle of the back cover of Songs You Know By Heart and will choose “Cheeseburger in Paradise”.  And then, a week later, Jimmy’s tour kicks off in Atlanta.
    As per request, here’s your chance to help decide details of our special remote podcast…
    [And, once again, hats off to 24cast, from whom we get our best ideas.]

      >  Download Episode 2

Saturday, May 20 2006

Episode 1: Mapped and Charted

Show Notes:
Recorded Wednesday, May 17 2006, (9-10:30 PM) at Big Al’s in Gibraltar MI
    “Almost down to twenty minutes!  This week: a few words with Greg 2.0, a chat with Mike, Mickey, and Schmoe; a shot with Scott; and a visit from Heidi.”

    The gang wanted to watch end of the Pistons/Cavs game (which the Pistons lost, 86-84) so the recording session was delayed.  In the meantime, we recorded a segment with Scott, a few comments from Greg 2.0 (including the first of what assumedly will be many mentions of Schmoe’s Cat Story), and, as we repaired to the recording studio, a visit Big Al’s waitress Heidi.
    Our new theme song, courtesy of GarageBand, is called “Two Seater”.  Schmoe misses the date by only one full week.  Hopefully this won’t confuse people when next week’s show comes out.  Both Schmoe and Mickey came prepared with notes, determined to keep the conversation brief and on course.  As mentioned, Scott’s movie review was recorded ahead of time.  Mickey wants to point out his comment about it being “beautifully recorded” was supposed to be self-deprecating.  “At the time I was assuming the bar noise would be too loud.  It came out much better than expected, but we didn’t know this till we were all done.”  Incidentally, we returned to using the Core Sound mics this show.
    • Ebert & Roeper’s Hoot review
    • Turks & Caicos Margaritaville
    • Learn more about Tom Ball here and here
    • Roger Clyne’s Buffett quote [PDF]
    • Some gossip about Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills
    • [Beware searches for “one legged chick”]
    This is the Hoot auction to which Mickey refers.  A quick look at the Bid History shows that although the auction has ended, it did not end successfully.  Evidently the minimum value was not met and the auction has been closed.  Poor Jimmy, no wants to get in his pants anymore.
    • Mike’s brother Jim’s My Space page
    • Mike and Schmoe’s Dog/Ice/Winter Movie Picks:
                Disney’s 8 Below
                Disney’s Snow Dogs
    The mention of a “robot podcast” refers to this offering [iTunes link] from 24cast.
    The end title music is called “Greasy Wheels” and is also from GarageBand.  Post-production was much more elaborate this week, with contributions from Peak, GarageBand, iTunes, Final Cut, and Soundtrack Pro.  Still hearing spots that need a little bit more work—but it’s too late now: the file is up,

      >  Download Episode 1

Monday, May 15 2006

“The Ship Can’t Take It, Captain!”

    After struggling all weekend to get this page to show up properly in Internet Explorer (while it displayed without a problem in other browsers), all I can say is:

Saturday, May 13 2006

Changing Tack

    I was going to label this “Picking Up Steam”, but that didn’t seem to fit with all these sailing references.
    There’s more news to share though, in the form of another new development with our feed.  I (without consulting the others) impulsively bought a domain for our podcast.  Northcoast.com and northcoast.net are already taken, but I came up with using NorthCoastCast as our new port of call.  Short, simple, and hopefully easy to remember.  It’s paid up for two years too, so those other WANC’ers better continue ’casting with me to get the most out of this investment.
    There won’t be any additional content there however, since, in fact, the new URL simply refers you back to this page.  Therefore, you needn’t bother trying the link now.  If you’re here, you’re here.  But the new URL might be a nice mnemonic to bookmark.
    Similarly, scrap all those e-mail changes too.  They’ll all still be active, but you might as well use our new address: podcast AT northcoastcast DOT com.
    P.S.: more changes.  I can’t say I’m surprised one of the podcatcher sites is displaying our title incorrectly.  The site is Yahoo! and the problem is that danged apostrophe.  Therefore, effective Sunday morning, our feed is now called “Wasting Away on the North Coast” (as opposed to the canonical “Wastin’ ”).
    Also, in the interest of cutting down on bandwidth usage, the downstreaming versions, playable on that cool iPod player—how ’bout that iPod player?!—have been downgraded to monaural 32kbps versions.  For the full-quality 96-160kbps stereo versions, you’ll have to subscribe.

Friday, May 12 2006

Wind in Our Sails

    I was trying to spruce things up a bit last night, and I guess I broke the column display (for those using IE).  It took me all day today, but I figured out what the problem was; so the page should be looking proper now.  Also, I finally got our XML feed so that iTunes will display our (temporary) feed art.
    P.S.: Don’t forget you can drop us line at ladi34t AT shortfatguy DOT com.  (The “ladi34t” of course refers to the title Livin’ and Dyin’ in ¾ Time.)  Or you can Skype us at “shortfatguyonline”.  Or leave a message at our phone line: 774-221-7346.  That’s 774-221-S.F.G.O.
    We’re glad to have you along for the ride.
    P.S.: And how ’bout that new podcast player?!  (Thanks to Jeroen Wijering, “Eric”, and The Tyron Effect! [né “Where’s Your Tyron”] for help with setting it up.)
    P.P.S: scrap the e-mail information.  The address is still good, but to keep us from having to explain “ladi34t” every podcast, we’ve set up an easier address for your comments and criticisms: northcoast AT shortfatguy DOT com.  And, seriously, how ’bout that new podcast player?  Isn’t it cool?!